"Hi Greenpawn. I enjoy reading your posts, and I was pleased to find out about
the Sicilian Pin Variation. I'd lost interest in the Sicilian, but this variation
resembles the type of play I enjoy in the Nimzo-Indian or, sometimes, in Owen's
Defence: a pin of white's QN with black's KN adding pressure. I'd be interested to
see a couple of sample games with this pattern, be it the Sicilian or another
opening. Thanks!"

I've dragged it here else you will get the original thread all crowded with
different games on dfferent subjects.

I'll dig out a few games with this line later on. But first this.

The Pin Variation brought back a happy memory although looking at the game
the variation had little to do with it.
It was also the last time I played it OTB. I think I had used all my luck with
that opening that Caissa (the Goddes of Chess) was going to allow me.

The year is 1994 we had to win the last match of the season to win the league.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd3 {It&#039;s a move. You don&#039;t always get 6.e5.} 6... e5 7. Ne2 d6 8. O-O a6 {I don&#039;t know why I played this? Probably some mad idea about b5 and Bb7,} 9. Kh1 Bc5 {Maybe I was planning this and a7 is now a Bishop bolt hole.} 10. f4 Nc6 11. Nd5 Ng4 12. Qe1 Be6 13. h3 h5 {Of course. He cannot take the Knight but he does eventually 8 moves later.} 14. Nec3 Ne7 15. Be3 Bxd5 16. Bxc5 {I never saw that coming.} 16... dxc5 17. exd5 {I&#039;m attacking him with one Knight. Lets get the a8 Rook into the game.} 17... c4 18. Bxc4 Rc8 19. Bb3 {Well the Rook is in the game at the cost of a pawn. Now what? That c3 Knight is going to e4 and he will shove that d-pawn.} 19... Rxc3 {That is not going to happen. (a positional exchange sac.)} 20. bxc3 {Now he threatens fxe5 opening the f-file and I cannot castle.} 20... e4 {So have that one as well.} 21. Qxe4 {Now the e7 Knight is pinned. Not having that .} 21... Kf8 22. hxg4 {Hooray for that I thought my h1 Rook was never going to get into the game.} 22... hxg4+ 23. Kg1 g3 {Set up the cheapo&#039;s.} 24. Rfd1 Qb6+ 25. Qd4 {Don’t bother looking 25...Rh1+ and Qh6+ it does not work.} 25... Qh6 26. Kf1 Qg6 {Looks like I&#039;m planning Rh1+ I&#039;m not.} 27. Re1 {So the King can run to e2 and d2 without it&#039;s exit being block by a Rook. Also threatens Qe4.} 27... Qg4 {I&#039;m still kicking and threatening mate. Cover the flight squares the checks then really do count.} 28. Qg1 Qxf4+ 29. Ke2 Rh5 30. Kd1 Nf5 {OK it&#039;s my Queen and two bits (and a pawn on g6) v His Queen and two bits. (that thing on a1 does not count. If I recall he was getting into TT around about here.} 31. a4 {He is trying to sneak the Rook in via the side door.} 31... a5 {No.} 32. Rb1 {Now what. Bishop moves, b7 falls and he back rank mates me. He&#039;s in TT make him think of something else.} 32... Kg8 {Take that idea away from him whilst his clocks ticks on.} 33. Re8+ Kh7 34. Qe1 Qh6 {I cannot annoy the King anymore so it&#039;s onto Queen winning threats.} 35. Qd2 Rh1+ 36. Re1 Ne3+ {The gamble. He can play Qxe3 and it ends up with my Queen v his 3 bits. (two of the three are Rooks - not good.)} 37. Kc1 {All the other games had finished. I had to draw this to win the league.} 37... Rxe1+ 38. Qxe1 {He saw I cannot win the Queen with Nxg2+ Qd2 and the King skips away to b2. However...} 38... Nc4+ {No Kings running to b2 in this game.} 39. Kd1 Qh5+ 40. Qe2 Qh1+ 41. Qe1 Qh5+ 42. Kc1 Qh6+ 43. Kd1 Qh5+ {Draw by perp-check and we won the league.}

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e4 Nxe4 5. Qg4 Nxc3 6. Qxg7 {Instead of this quickly refuted attempt at confusion 6.a3 is an interesting try (something for you to look at...I&#039;m not doing all the work.)} 6... Qf6 {That&#039;s better, for a moment there I thought I had refuted the Nimzo Indian.} 7. Qxf6 Ne4+ 8. Kd1 Nxf6 {Black is a piece up. The Nimzo Indian has not been refuted.}

In the SPV the pawn is already on e4 and White is better developed.

The key word is ‘developed’.

Reckon one of the best ways to get familiar with a new opening
set up is to get an idea of the pitfalls the opening contains.
Here Black can become obsessed with the pinned Knight on c3 and start shooting at it. .

When I was starting out and argued everything for development and tempo
I was challenged at 5 minutes to take White here.

I was allowed 4 White moves on the trot.
No piece was allowed in his half of the board.
Then the game started with me to move. (so 5 moves on the trot.)

That position is solid and I could not get at him. I lost trying too hard.
The best way was to sit on it - develop more and more squeeze him or wait till
he unwinds - tries to break out.
Him being a better blitz than me (at the time) also helped but lesson learned.

Try it against a box. It's not easy.

Back to the Nimzo 4.e4 Line.
I do have a bit of background with it and have often used it in classes and
discussions to put forward how rich chess is and how you could fill 10 books
with unknown variations that an Opening book (in this case the Nimzo - Indian)
won't give you on the very first move of it's key position.
How many other 4th move are offered before 4......e4.
(a3,Nf3,Bd2,Qc2,Qb3,Bg5,g3...some won't even mention 4...e4.)

No weakness. Agree. Take it on one move. 7.bxc3
And a common comment in books in such postions is that White does not
have enough for his pawn.

Wrong thinking. Wrong attitude.
White has nothing to prove after his gambit.
It's now up to the Black player to win it.And to do that he will have to come out and play.

I 'm happy. Bertie the Book is now out of the book, he is now on his own.
(if 4.e4 is mentioned it will be tucked away in 'Other Moves' section. The bit
nobody reads because Anand does not play it.)
His head will be full of mainline games from Botvinnik to Carlsen.

My head is clear. I've no idea what to do.
I have no development problems. I have no pressure, I'm not the one
sitting there a pawn up knowing if I make one slip the game will be equal
and if I equalise this I'm winning.

The lad who plays the best chess on the day will win it.
That position is not lost. Don't be afraid to accept such positions.
(for either side, though I would always prefer White.)

I can create a weakness!

Again it's good to dig out the nonsense and get it out of the way.
Alwasy fish about with these things. It's good practice and good fun.

Suppose I don't to take the c3 Knight. There is double sac in there.
Come fly with me.